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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --[THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1783]
The committee to whom was referred the letters and papers from the Quartermaster General, report the following Resolutions:
Resolved, That the army under the Command of General Greene so far as respects the Quartermaster General's department is and shall be considered a separate army. That the Quartermaster General proceed to appoint the officers in his department agreeable to the resolutions of the 15th of July 1780 who shall govern themselves accordingly.
Resolved, That the Quartermaster General be and he is hereby authorised and directed to appoint for the aforesaid army some one additional Deputy Quarter Master who is to be principal in that army, which appointment shall continue until the further order of Congress and he shall be allowed for the time he is in actual service 75 dollars per month and 4 rations per day in addition to the pay and subsistence he is allowed in the line; the same additional pay and rations shall be allowed to the officer who has done that duty from the time General Greene took the command of the Southern Army.
Resolved, That all resolutions heretofore passed empowering the Commanding Officer of the Southern Army to appoint the Officers in the Quartermaster General's department, be and the same are hereby repealed.
Resolved, That an additional deputy quartermaster general be appointed by the Quartermaster General for the Southern Army.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of a clerk, except the last paragraph which is in Edmund Randolph's writing, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 22, folio 175. The indorsement says it was ordered to be considered this day, but it does not appear to have been acted on.]
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War Office, March 13th, 1783.
Sir,
In my letter which I had the honor to address to Congress on the 3rd inst. I mentioned the wish of some officers to retire who were retained in service under the resolution of Congress of the 31st December, 1781.
With that letter I omitted to return the names of the officers so retained. A list of them I have the honor now to enclose, at the head of which is Lieut. Col. Hamilton. This gentleman by his letter of theMarch, 1782, to his Excellency General Washington, a copy of which is now in this office, relinquishes all emoluments arising from his commission during the war or after it. Which sentiment is strongly expressed in the following extract from the same letter:
"As I have many reasons to consider my being employed hereafter in a precarious light, the bare possibility of rendering an equivalent will not justify to my scruples the receiving any future emoluments from my commission. I therefore renounce from this time all claim to the compensations attached to my military station during the war or after it; but I have motives which will not permit me to resolve on a total resignation."1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, II, folio 343, and the list is on folio 347. It was referred to Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [Hugh] Williamson, and Mr. [Benjamin] Hawkins. See ante March 3, note.
On March 14, or an approximate date, was read a letter of March 13 from the Superintendent of Finance enclosing a copy of a letter from Dr. Franklin relative to money sent by the Washington packet. It is in No. 137, II, folio 213.
Also on March 14, or an approximate date, was read a letter of March 14 from the Superintendent of Finance enclosing a copy of a letter received, by the Washington packet, from John Adams. It is in No. 137, II, folio 221.]
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